


Retail Therapy

by FormidablePassion



Series: Story Time Fics [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: (perceived), Boss/Employee Relationship, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Implied Anal Sex, Implied Bottom Dean, Implied Rimming, Kinda?, M/M, Manager Castiel (Supernatural), Office Blow Jobs, Real Life Retail Situations, Retail Worker Dean Winchester, Semi-Public Sex, mentions of BDSM, mentions of paddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 10:22:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20487329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FormidablePassion/pseuds/FormidablePassion
Summary: After the small bookstore in the mall shut down, Assistant Manager Dean was transferred to the local large box chain book store that had bought out and closed down his little store. He was also demoted to Head Cashier.Even after eight months Dean was frustrated that department manager Castiel hated him.He was sure there was no hope for them getting along.Until Cas proved him wrong.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [museaway](https://archiveofourown.org/users/museaway/gifts).

> This entire thing was inspired by museaway when we had a conversation and I told her some things about my life in retail and she immediately went "that...sounds like a fic. my manager hates me...oh wait" and then this happened. 
> 
> This fic is slightly edited, barely beta'd (Thanks for what I allowed you time to do, Ry!), and most likely slips in and out of tenses. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

"I'm telling you, Ash, the guy hates me." Dean groused before taking a long drink of his beer. 

"He doesn't hate you man. You just transferred, give it time." Ash knocked his shoulder into Dean's. He had returned from the back smelling a bit skunky, eyes red. 

"Dude, it's been eight months." Dean stared him down. 

"Damn, really? Time flies." 

Dean rolled his eyes and finished his beer. "Let me out I need another beer." 

"Nah, man. You need a shot, or three. Stay put, I'll be right back." 

Ash grabbed both their glasses and headed to the bar. Dean was returning some texts from Charlie when Ash returned, waitress in tow with a tray full of beer and shots. 

"Dean, this is Cookie. She’s getting off in about ten minutes." Ash winked at Dean. 

Dean looked up at Cookie with her bright green eyes, dark skin, and dark curly hair and gave her a smile. "Hey, Cookie." 

Yeah his night was already improving.

* * *

Dean knew better than to let Ash talk him into a night of drinking and debauchery. His head was still pounding slightly, finally tapering off with the coffee and ibuprofen he took as soon as he rolled out of bed still smelling of Cookie. 

The warmth from the hot shower wasn't enough to carry him through to opening the store. He sighed heavily as he realized that the opening manager was none other than the man who hated him. 

Dean offered a smile in passing on his way to the cash office to get the tills ready for the day and seal up the deposit for pick up later that afternoon. 

Dean let out another heavy sigh when he heard the numbers on the lock being pushed; he did this to himself, he could get through an eight hour shift. He plastered a smile on his face as the door opened. 

"Morning Kev-" his words faltered when he saw Castiel standing in the doorway. 

"Kevin called out. Unfortunately we were unable to call anyone else in to replace him. Apparently everyone is busy with finals. Ava will still be coming in to cover the back register." Castiel assured him.

Dean nodded and went over the DOS in his head: he would be forced behind the register until lunch time. "Alright. I can cover front until Pam comes in." 

Dean offered a smile to Castiel that was only returned with a solemn nod before he walked from the room. 

Dean counted out the manager drawer then raised the blinds at the front of the store. The sun had him squinting, it was going to be a long day. Before he knew it he was fending off Pam's questions about his night and his current mood before going on lunch. 

The rest of the week left Dean feeling like he was playing catch-up when several of the college kids called out. He knew it was getting close to finals but they also had jobs to do and it was frustrating when management was unable, or unwilling, to fill those spots so that Dean could get his own work done. 

Dean was shelving a v-cart of best sellers near the front register when the bell over the door chimed. Dean stood and turned with a smile, ready to greet the customer. The woman standing there was holding an overflowing box of books and Dean rushed to help her set them on the counter before any of them tumbled to the floor. 

"That's a lot of books. Are you returning?" Dean asked as he moved behind the counter. 

"I am." The woman smiled at him, her brown eyes shining as she looked him over with interest. 

Dean looked down to the pile of books; there were at least forty copies of the same title and he reminded himself to breathe and just get this over with. 

"Alright, do you have your receipt?" Dean smiled and felt his stomach drop when he saw the look on the woman’s face. This was not how he wanted his day to go. 

After twenty minutes of telling the woman the store policy on returns, the woman angrily informed him, 

“I can’t believe you can’t do this for me. I’m a principal at Grove, I’ve been ordering from you guys for years and never once have I had this problem! I want to talk to your manager.”

Dean had been dealing with scammers for so long that he hadn’t thought (he should have) that she needed to talk to Roy, the Customer Relations Manager, to do bulk returns. As soon as Roy arrived Dean politely excused himself while letting her know that Roy would take care of her. He was late for lunch and that was going to throw off the entire daily schedule. He ignored the frustration and clocked out.

With ten minutes left on his lunch Roy walked into the breakroom looking constipated, or guilty, and Dean set down his copy of  _ Mother Night _ and waited. 

"Hey, Dean." 

"Hey, Roy. Get everything sorted out?" 

"Yeee-ah, but here’s the thing: she wants to talk to you." 

"Why?" 

"Look, she was really upset about the whole thing." 

"Well, if she had told me from the start she was from a school I would have called you to begin with and we could have saved ourselves a lot of time." 

"Yeah. Well. She's..." 

"What?" 

"She's saying you were being racist." 

Dean stared at Roy for a solid minute. 

"Look, we need the school sales, just... she wants to talk to you. Just apologize and be done with it. Okay?" 

Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing. 

"Well, she's gonna have to wait. I'm on my lunch and I'm not clocking in early for this shit." 

Roy nodded and wrung his hands together, "I'll let her know." 

Dean finished his lunch slowly and watched the minutes turn over before he clocked back in and went out to face whatever this woman wanted to say.

As Dean walked into Hoppy Brewery, he felt the weight of the day pushing down on his shoulders. He slid into the booth across from Victor; Garth was there before Dean could even say anything to anyone. 

"Hey Dean! You want the usual?" Garth's cheery demeanor grated against Dean's nerves in that moment. 

"Yeah, Garth. Add a shot of whiskey to that too, would ya? Make it a double." 

"Coming right up!" Garth sauntered off and Dean groaned as Victor smirked at him. 

"Rough day?" Victor asked. 

"Fuck you, man. How are you able to get two days off in a row this close to the holiday season?" Dean shot a glare at him. He was one of the managers, he wasn't sure how he was able to pull it off. 

"Favoritism?" Victor offered

"Wouldn't fucking doubt that shit, man." Dean scoffed as he picked up the menu. He was in need of a good greasy burger. 

As he was pursuing the menu Bela slid in too close to Victor. 

"Dean! How are you?" She greeted in that fucking accent that used to make Dean's dick stir but almost aggravated him now. 

"Shitty, Bela. Thanks for asking." He didn't even glance from his menu to respond. 

"What happened?" She picked up her fucking fru fru lemon drop drink and sipped so delicately that Dean had to stop himself from scoffing.

Dean didn't need to look at the menu anymore so he set it down and pushed it aside, ignoring the stickiness on the plastic cover just as Garth set down a pitcher of Dean's favorite local brew and a shot. 

"You want the usual for dinner, Dean?" Garth offered him a huge goofy smile as Dean downed the shot and handed him the glass. 

He sucked air through his teeth as nodded. "Yeah, and another of these." 

"You got it!" Garth took off and Dean sipped at his beer watching how Victor and Bela tried to school their bodies to keep Dean from believing they were fucking. 

Everyone knew they were fucking. 

"Well Bela, I was treated to a class act today." Dean offered and proceeded to tell Bela and Victor about the incident with the principal then the subsequent ten minutes that he spent being lectured and scolded by her before she finally left. 

Victor scoffed. "That is ridiculous. Roy has no fucking backbone man. And she accused you of being  _ racist _ just because she fucked up?" 

“Yeah, she told Roy that, but of course when I was standing there being scolded like a toddler she never once mentioned it.” 

Bela shook her head in disgust. "Was Castiel working? He would never have let that happen." 

Dean nearly choked on his beer when he snorted at her. Bela narrowed her eyes in confusion as Victor handed him napkins. 

"Castiel? Department manager Castiel? Heartless, all business, hates me, Castiel? I don’t think we are talking about the same person," Dean told her as he mopped up some of the beer that he spit on the table. 

"That’s ridiculous, he has a very good reputation with us. I’d much rather have him in my corner than  _ Chuck _ . Honestly, I'm not even sure how Chuck was able to secure a store manager position. Castiel may only be a department manager but he will always stand up for his employees," Bela assured him. 

Dean was skeptical about what he was hearing. "Nope. I’m pretty sure we aren’t talking about the same person here. I'm almost positive that he hates me. He may have your back," Dean glanced pointedly over at Victor, "But he doesn't have my back. He is always hounding me." 

Bela just rolled her eyes and smiled brightly at Garth when he showed up with Dean's burger; she held up her empty martini glass and Garth took it. 

* * *

The next few weeks passed in a blur of holiday panic for customers: the closer to Christmas, the more desperate customers became. 

"The cover is blue." The man had a paunch and a rat like face, his comb over was a mess from the wind and rain outside, and he had a look in his eyes that only the true last minute shoppers got. 

Dean groaned internally and wished it was acceptable to hit someone over the head with the closest book as he racked his brain thinking of the most recent books in memory to come out that had a blue cover. 

"Something about drugs and recovery I think." The customer rambled on. 

A light bulb went off in Dean's head and he abandoned his computer, offering the frustrating customer a bright smile. 

"I know exactly which book you're talking about!" 

After personally ringing up the book and selling them a membership card, it's the least they could do for Dean after all his time they wasted, he sighed and was happy that they were closing early for Christmas Eve. 

* * *

Happy to see the back end of the last year Dean listened to Kevin tell him all about his intersession final before Kevin went on his lunch break. Dean busies himself calling grateful, sometimes irate, customers to let them know their books are in, where to find them, and how long they will be held for, when Castiel walks by with a customer and has a smile on his face.

Distracted by the very sight of Castiel smiling Dean didn’t register the person on the phone getting aggravated in his greeting. "I'm sorry about that Mr. Smith. The book your ordered has come in. We will hold it for you for two weeks behind the front counter." 

Dean barely heard whatever Mr. Smith had to say, his eyes followed Castiel as he moved around the customer pulling various music books from the shelf and offering them. The distraction caught Dean completely off guard. After hanging up the phone he finds himself watching Castiel until the customer walks away. Castiel looks up and catches Dean’s eye. Dean's breath catches and Castiel's smile falters before he turns to walk away.

Dean stood lost in thought, staring at the direction that Castiel had walked away. He had to admit, he had eyes after all, Castiel was damn good looking. Anyone would have to be blind not to see that. In any other circumstances Castiel would be someone Dean would attempt to pick up at the bar, if Castiel ever went to them, which Dean doubted he did. 

Dean shook his head and went back to his work. No matter what Ash said, and how Bela and Victor tried to convince him Castiel would back up his employees, Dean just  _ knew _ that Castiel hated him. He wasn't even sure why. Maybe it was because he transferred from the "wrong side" of town when the small bookstore there closed down. 

It's not like Dean had a choice. The larger company closing that store hit them all pretty hard. 

Cain, the manager that hired him on as assistant manager, had been offered another manager position somewhere else then eventually got promoted. Pam and Kevin had moved with him to the larger store fifteen minutes away. 

Mildred, the sweet, sassy, knowledgeable, and worldly older lady who had worked for that store longer than Dean had been alive, or at least it seemed, had decided to retire and lamented the loss of her discount on the twenty something (or was it thirty something) monthly romance titles she indulged in. She had assured Dean that the only reason she worked there was to make the money to buy those books and buy them with a discount. 

It didn't matter why Castiel hated him. The fact remained that he did. 

Dean was a man that could usually brush shit like that off, but for some reason, this bothered him. He just couldn't figure out why.

* * *

It was well past Dean's birthday. One that wouldn't be forgotten, thanks to Ash, when it happened. 

Covering the front register on Ambriel’s break a customer walked up to the counter to return something.Dean followed the standard return procedure, no receipt meant that they got the lowest store price listed on the stores website on store credit. Dean explained this to the customer before proceeding. Of course, living in a day and age with a customer is always right mentality the man was  _ outraged _ and demanded to speak to a  _ real _ manager. Dean brushed off that comment, wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last, that he was somehow  _ less _ because his title didn’t have  _ manager _ in it. Dean picked up the overhead com 

Dean’s voice was sickeningly sweet and dripping with the customer service voice that only retail workers would be able to read into as he requested “I need an available manager to the front register please.”

The only available manager headed his way.

Castiel. 

Of course Dean expected Castiel to agree wholeheartedly with the man and give him whatever he asked for just to make him happy and send him on his way. This is the current retail climate. The customer is always right, afterall. 

Castiel surprised Dean completely. 

Castiel approached and looked at  _ Dean _ and inquired about the situation, not the customer, and Dean felt a thrill at that when the customer huffed and tried to interrupt, Castiel simply held up a finger to silence him. When Dean finished explaining he had to fight a smirk when Castiel turned to the customer and calmly explained the exact same policy to him. When the customer attempted to argue Castiel shut him down pretty efficiently. 

“It’s store policy, so you can take the store credit, as Dean already explained, or you are welcome to keep your merchandise and leave.” Castiel stood there like some sort of retail warrior and Dean was kinda into it.

The man was clearly unable to understand that there was a store that had a manager that didn't subscribe to "the customer is always right" bullshit so he took the store credit and stormed off mumbling about never coming back to this specific store again.

Dean stared at Castiel in shock until Castiel turned and smiled softly at him. "If anything like that happens again while I'm on shift don't hesitate to call me." 

Dean could only nod as Castiel walked away.

There had never been another person in the company, not since Cain anyway, that would step up and defend him against abusive customers. It was frustrating especially when he knew he was right and the customer was just being a complete douche. It was the reason that whenever his cashiers needed assistance with a customer Dean would take over and back them up if they were following procedure. 

Dean was loathe to admit that Bela, of all people, was right about Castiel. Unfortunately he had to face facts. She was right. Didn’t mean he had to tell  _ her _ that though. 

* * *

The next few days found Dean in quiet contemplation. Even when Aaron tries to flirt with him during one of his lunch breaks, and he realizes that he may be kind of an asshole, he doesn't apologize, and Aaron doesn't seem to mind, especially after Andy starts training to replace Jake. 

It’s not until the end of the week that Dean realizes that he had been going out of his way, walking the perimeter of the store, going to receiving for something when someone else could have, or making sure to restock things near the area Cas was working, just to watch Cas. He also started referring to him as Cas, in his head too, in that week too. 

He was stocking a new shipment of Harry Potter bookmarks at the back register when Cas came back to talk to Kevin. Once Kevin was sent scurrying to the magazine section to tidy it up, with no less than three apologies to Cas, Cas turned his steel blue gaze on Dean. 

Dean started slow. He was sure that Cas has some other thing to do, some department manager thing that a Head Cashier wouldn't understand, but Dean didn't want him to go. For once, Dean craved the intensity of the gaze Cas was aiming his way.

"So, what did you think about that meeting?" Dean watched Cas carefully during their weekly manager meeting that morning and knew that he disapproved of the new changes corporate was taking. His plush lips had turned down at the news that Adler had delivered to them. 

Dean had thought that Cas was a man that would do whatever corporate wanted. Until Cas responded. 

"Frankly?" 

Dean nodded. 

"I think it's bullshit." 

Dean nearly dropped several bookmarks with Draco and the slytherin house crest when Cas when he was taken aback by the statement. Cas had never used anything but work appropriate language before. At least in front of Dean. 

"Oh yeah?" Dean quickly put the bookmarks on the pegs of the carousel cash wrap display.

"How do they expect us to continue to make the profit margins they set if they continue to be counter productive to that goal? Taking away the section leads is not going to help the sales and it will put more strain on the rest of the crew." Cas sounded angry about it. 

Not that Dean blamed him, it just left Dean at a temporary loss since he wasn’t expecting the response he was getting.

"Yeah. No. I agree." Dean just hadn't expected such a passionate, and reasonable, response from Cas. 

Obviously there was more to Cas than Dean thought there was. 

After that conversation, Dean made it a point to talk to him more frequently. He always started with work conversation to get a better grasp of the department manager he was sure hated him. Clearly Dean was wrong. Maybe Dean just needed to reach out first. He had just assumed Castiel was a retail robot and hated Dean for having personality and compassion.

"You know what they say about assuming, man." Ash flipped his mullet over his shoulder before sitting back in the booth with his beer. 

"Yeah, yeah." Dean rolled his eyes.

"I told you the guy had to warm up to you. You know I'm not a fan of authority, but even I think he is alright." Ash offered. 

"Ash, you're having beers with an assistant manager and the head cashier, you really aren't proving your point about hating authority." Victor chimed in as he and Bela joined them at their regular booth. 

"Fuck off, Vic. You know what I mean, You assholes are exceptions." Ash protested.

Bela rolled her eyes and looked up at Victor, "I'm going to the powder room." 

As soon as Bela was out of ear shot Dean spoke up, "So are we still supposed to pretend not to know you two are fucking?" 

Victor's knee hit the table as he was sliding in, "Fuck. God damnit, Dean." 

Ash and Dean were both still laughing at Victor when Bela returned and slid in a little too close to Victor causing Dean and Ash burst into laughter again when Victor tried his hardest not to be obvious about scooting away. 

"I fucking hate you two." Victor mumbled. 

"Hey, guys! What can I get ya?" Garth's ever present smile was even wider when he saw Ash leaning on Dean's shoulder laughing. 

"I fucking muzzle for these two." Victor glared over at them.

* * *

Dean had to wake up early to run errands before his closing shift, he always hated not being able to sleep in but that was adulting for you, he smiled when he realized that Cas was the closing manager on his shift. If Dean picked out a shirt to wear that brought out his eyes it was all because he was considering going out after work, it had been a while since he hooked up, it had absolutely  _ nothing _ to do with the manager that he was  _ definitely not _ getting a crush on.

That night Dean chatted with Cas about a customer he had encountered at the smaller store he helped run, before corporate shut it down, and Cas actually smiled at Dean. 

"That isn't a customer, Dean. That is a nuisance." Cas' smile was wide and gummy when he looked at Dean. 

It took Dean a moment to catch his breath and reply. "Nah, man. Perry was good people. He's got some great stories to tell to anyone who will listen.” Dean shuddered and added, “As long as he has his pants on." 

Cas shook his head. "I don't know how you do it, Dean." 

"Do what?" Dean was finishing up the books in the cash office and didn't want to question why Cas was in there with him instead of doing his own closing procedures. 

"See the best in everyone." Cas' voice sounded almost fond. 

When Dean looked over at Cas a thick tension he'd never experienced with Cas before had grown between them.

"Dean-" 

The distinctive beeping of the cash office electric lock stopped Cas from whatever he was going to say. They both looked over to see Pam in the doorway. 

"Hey, Dean turn off this trash music and put on something good?" She raised her eyebrows at him and looked between the two of them.

"You got it." He smiled and reached for the Muzak remote on the shelf. 

"Now I see what took you so long." She mumbled but when Dean turned to reply her bare feet had already whisked her away. 

"I should probably get the..." Cas gestured to the door. 

"Yeah. Closing stuff and what not." Dean cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck.

They stared at one another until the click of the door pulled Cas' eyes from Dean and without another word Dean was alone in the cash office, staring at the closed door. 

"What the actual fuck?" Dean mumbled before going to shut the next day's deposit in the safe.

* * *

It was going into spring and the store was slowly inching its way to working with a skeleton crew. Dean hated the way the store operated between March and September. Corporate expected the same level of sales with less pay roll. Which meant that managers were all expected to step up and put in more than the 50-60 hours a week they already put in. 

Frank growled as he pulled, shifted, and put the new best sellers up on the shelf near the front register. 

"What's got your unkempt beard in knots, Frank?" Dean asked as he put the manager's drawer in the register. They still had a few minutes before opening and Dean was going to be the only cashier at front cash wrap until Kevin came in at 4:30. 

"They expect us to do everything! What, just because I'm salary I'm expected to put in more hours when they won't let us pay the hourly grunts?" He slammed a hardback of Oprah’s latest book club book into the other V-cart.

"Hey man, I'm technically still an hourly grunt." Dean was mock offended and went to help, pulling books from the V-cart to fill the best seller shelves.

"You don't count. You're still a manager type. Which, why the hell don't they pay you salary and make you stay all hours of the night?" 

"I did an entire shift and still did inventory last month Frank. I didn't sleep for 30 hours. Where were you?" Dean asked.

"You didn't have to do that." Frank turned to fix the signage on the bestsellers. 

"I did. It's not like I volunteered because I love to watch the sunrise over the cash wrap." Dean looked at his watch and went to unlock the front doors and raise the blinds so that they weren't blocking the window displays. 

"I don't know why we haven’t unionized. I swear we should just revolt." Frank continued.

"Retail civil war?" Dean asked, amused.

"Civil war?" Cas turned the corner of the front shelves with an arm of customer orders to be called. Frank rolled his eyes. 

"Don't get him started." Frank pulled the two V-carts behind him as he headed back to receiving.

"Get you started on what?" Dean asked as he took the orders from Cas before setting them on the counter and pulling out the rubber bands. 

"He's probably referring to my...hobby." Cas moved to the front of the cash wrap and straightened the pens and bookmarks. 

Dean smirked. " _ Hobby _ , Cas?" 

Cas looked at Dean and raised his eyebrow and Dean's knees went a little weak at the look so he pressed. "Do tell." 

"You may have heard, I'm a history major." Dean did know, it was one of the first things Ash told him because apparently Ash loved arguing about historical facts with Cas. Something Dean would love to see, actually. 

"Well my mother has a basement that I have utilized for my civil war figurines." Cas admitted. 

Dean pinched himself to keep from laughing. "Just like... display cases of them?"

He wasn't going to shame a man for his hobbies. Even if he  _ did  _ want to laugh. Cas' eyes lit up at Dean's interest and, yeah. Dean would never harass the guy about it. 

"I actually built a few tables and recreated the battle of Gettysburg, the battle of Vicksburg, and the siege of Petersburg." Cas explained.

"That's a lot of burgs there Cas." Dean started pulling the customer hold papers from the books and highlighting the dates and writing the date to be pulled on them.

"I know my brother always makes jokes about it, somehow he is always able to make them very lewd." Cas' face was scrunched up at the thought before shaking his head.

Dean snorted and figured his younger self would probably get along with Cas' brother. Dean made a mental note to call his own brother to see how his final semester of the year was going. Cas looked about ready to launch into more details when the over head came on with Ava's voice "Available manger to the back register, please." 

"You better grab that. You know Frank won't." Dean offered sympathetically. Cas heaved a put upon sigh and nodded. 

"Maybe you can show me pictures of these set ups some time." That earned Dean another huge gummy smile from Cas before he disappeared to help Ava. 

Dean was slowly coming to the realization that he was fucked. And probably not even in the fun way either. He sighed and picked up the phone to start calling customers.

Cas follows through with pictures and Dean gives him an amused smile while Cas shows and explains everything about them. This is how Dean learns how Cas had experimented with creating the water to get it just right and how he had even taken summer trips to the actual battle locations and brought back real dirt to incorporate into his reenactments. 

Dean was actually pretty impressed with Cas' diligence and attention to historically accurate detail. He was hands down the hottest nerdy dude Dean had ever known. With the passion Cas displayed for history Dean could easily see the appeal in Ash always wanting to argue about things. Dean wouldn't mind seeing Cas get worked up. Dean shook his head to clear the image his brain supplied that was most definitely not work appropriate. 

Victor walked into the manager's office and glared at Dean. "Dean, don't you have something to do?" 

Cas put his phone away and went back to the order on screen.

"Fine. I suppose I should get the back stock organized." He sighed and stood without looking at Cas. 

"We do have that new list of clearance items that downloaded this morning. It should be in the system. If not let me know." Cas offered without looking over at him. Dean  _ didn’t _ feel hurt by that.

When Dean crossed the small area to the other door Victor followed him into receiving. Dean waited for the door to close all the way before he spoke. He could feel Victor's gaze on him. 

"Spit it out Victor. If you don't get it out you’re likely to combust. Can't have that." Dean moved past the Ash bopping his head to whatever was playing in his ear buds as he sorted the magazine shipment. 

"What's up with you and Castiel?" Victor hopped up on one of the receiving counters and waited.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Dean denied as he pulled a box of open games down that he knew needed to be zeroed out and grabbed the PDT gun to start scanning them in.

"Bullshit." Victor accused.

"Vic's right, man. You're starting to act like he does around Bela." Ash threw out there.

They both turned to look at Ash, because of course he was listening. 

"Fuck you, Ash." Victor spat. 

"I absolutely am not." Dean protested. 

"The lady doth protest too much." Ash smirked and turned back to the magazines. 

Victor gave Dean a considering look. "You should ask him to come to the brewery with us." 

Dean's hand paused in their reach for the plush a kid has spilled kool-aid on at story time and it had to be returned for credit.

"You invite him, Vic. If you want him there so bad." Dean offered.

Victor threw up his hands as he jumped off the counter and walked out mumbling something about trying to have Dean's back. 

The idea stuck with Dean though.


	2. Chapter 2

"You have a crush on your boss?" Sam scoffed. 

Dean tried to protest (weakly) but he watched as Sam leaned back on the chair and loudly hollered down the hall, "CHARLES DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS?"

Dean shook his head. Charlie came into view from the hallway. "You talking about how Dean's hot for his nerdy manager?" 

"You told Charlie before you told me?" Sam glared at Dean. 

"I didn't tell Charlie anything." 

"Nope! It was easy enough to figure out though, especially when he went from bitching about the guy to practically gushing about him." Charlie hopped over the back of the couch with a bag of chips and two beers, handing one to Sam. 

"I don't gush." He protested. 

"You do. It's cute." She smirked. 

"I swear if it wasn't a six hour drive to kick both your asses I would kick your asses." Dean threatened. 

"You wish you could." Sam laughed

"You wouldn't dare." Charlie stuck her tongue out. 

"If all you two are going to do is tease me about my co-worker then I'm ending this call." Dean threatened.

"Alright, alright." Sam conceded. 

"So, let me tell you about Sam's crush on this super hot chick in one of our classes." Charlie grinned conspiratorially. 

"Oh, dish." 

"She is in the nursing program." 

Sam groaned. 

"Helloooo nurse." Dean grinned and settled in.

"I don't know why I put up with you two." Sam whined and opened his beer.

* * *

Over the next several weeks during conversation Dean would casually, out of ear shot of Victor and Ash, extend an offer to Cas about coming out for drinks at Hoppy's. Even though Cas would make that scrunchy face with squinty eyes and politely decline Dean held out hope that he may end up showing up one night. 

No matter what, when, or where Dean is when he extends the offer to Cas it somehow gets back to Victor and Ash and gets shit for it and it got so bad that even Ambriel started giving Dean shit about it. She felt more comfortable doing so after she started joining them at the brewery when they all took her to celebrate her birthday. 

When Dean shared a picture of the event with Sam and Charlie, Charlie somehow started texting Ambriel. Which didn’t help. Dean hated hackers. And he hated that Ambriel was probably telling Charlie everything that Dean wasn't. 

Dean was seriously starting to question his taste in friends. 

Victor seemed thrilled at the turn of events since it meant that people were giving less attention to his and Bela’s _thing. _As if anyone even cared that he was basically in a relationship with a part time employee.

Dean looked over at the entrance of the brewery and sighed, when he looked back Ambriel was eyeing him, a moment later his phone went off with a text from Charlie. It was a frowny face. 

Dean stood up and stretched. 

"Alright, fuckers, I'm out." 

"Don't you close tomorrow?" Victor offered. 

"Andy called in, I think he is going to some stoner festival thing, so I have to be there in the morning."

"Shit, is cannabis cup this weekend?" Ash checked his phone and cursed. 

"I swear if you call in tomorrow night I will hunt you down." Victor told Ash. 

"Bela, cover for me tomorrow night?" 

"Absolutely not. I've got plans." Her eyes shifted to Victor before everyone scoffed. 

"Victor isn't plans." Dean offered and before Bela could argue Ambriel perked up. 

"I got you, Ash. But bring me something back?" She grinned. 

They started talking about split shifts and arguing about indica and hybrids. 

"Night!" Dean yelled over his shoulder and waved. 

"See ya, Dean!" Garth waved as he walked out. 

Dean was almost positive that Garth lived there.

The next day Dean was dusting the cash wrap and humming _Cherry Pie_ when the door chimed. 

"Welcome to-" as Dean turned his face lit up in a smile. "Cain!" 

"Dean! I was hoping I'd see you when I found out I had to make the trip here." There was slightly more grey in his beard since the last time Dean saw him but he was still as handsome as ever. 

Dean went around the cash wrap and pulled his old manager into a tight hug. "How the hell have you been? How's being a district manager treating you?" 

"I'm good, this job pays the bills. Never in my life thought that I would've taken this position but when you live here you have to take what pays." Cain's fingers tightened a little around Dean's biceps as he held him away from him, looking him over. 

"Something's different about you. I didn't think a larger store would suit you but I'll be the first to admit when I'm wrong." Cain smiled wide at him and his pale blue eyes shone. Dean had missed him. 

"Eh, we've got some good people. Pam is here, somewhere, I swear I never see her anymore. Kevin comes in later for the closing shift, so you can say hi to him." Cain nodded. 

"I saw Mildred the other day, she was giving Rufus downtown a piece of her mind." Cain grinned. 

"She would." 

"It's great to see you, Dean." 

"You too." 

Cas walked toward the front to drop off customer orders and stopped when he saw Cain and Dean. Cain's hands slowly fell from Dean's arms and Cas’ eyes followed the movement.

"Well, I need to get this meeting underway. I'll come see you before I leave." Cain offered. 

"You better." Dean smiled and nodded over at Cas. "I think he's the one you're looking for." 

Dean took the books from Cas and listened as Cain introduced himself as they walked back toward the manager's office.

Dean finished up his shift and clocked out. He stuck around bullshitting with Ava and Pam, who appeared like magic when she heard Cain was there, and waited for Cain to finish up with his store walk through. 

Dean caught him as he and Cas were walking toward the office. 

"Cain. I'm headed out. Some of us are going to Hoppy's downtown. When you're done here stop by. We should catch up."

Cas' face was suspiciously blank as he stood to the side and watched them. 

"Oh man, I haven't been there in ages." Cain smiled. 

"Then come out! I'm buying." 

"You are?" 

"Not for you, Ash. Where the hell did you even come from?" Dean shoved him away.

"You know mention of free booze summons him." Pam smirked and threw her arm around Ash's shoulders. 

Cain shook his head, "I would love to but after this I have to drive to the Galleria store. But I'll text you, maybe we can get together for drinks over the weekend." 

"I can't wait." Dean smiled as Cain pulled him into a tight hug. 

"See ya." Dean and the others headed toward the door before Dean realized he left his travel coffee mug in the break room.

He didn't mean to over hear, but the office door wasn't closed all the way. 

"You would really go out with them?" Cas questioned Cain. 

"Of course I would. Dean and I went out all the time when we worked the Florin store together." There was a shift of papers, almost an intense silence, and Dean almost pushed into the break room before Cas' voice stopped him. 

"Isn't that fraternizing?" 

"Castiel, the company policy says that we shouldn't fraternize but they literally don't give a shit. You of all people should know that we spend more time with our work family than our own family. It doesn't exactly give us time to have a social life." Cain explained. 

"So, you're saying that it would be fine if our managers went to drinks with the employees." Cas stated thoughtfully.

"As far as I can tell it looks like they already do. Castiel, don't let a silly rule no one cares about stop you from enjoying the company of everyone outside of work." Cas hummed thoughtfully.

Dean pushed into the breakroom and slipped out before he was noticed.

* * *

The next few weeks Dean noticed that he and Cas were scheduled to work together more frequently, especially during closing shifts. Dean had started flirting here and there with Cas, just to test the waters, to see how Cas would react. He didn’t think anything would come of it and he wanted to be sure he wasn’t barking up the wrong tree. 

It never failed to make Dean fumble his words or even knock over a counter display every time Cas seemed to understand what was happening and stepped a little closer than work appropriate. Cas would just smirk and walk away leaving Dean's head spinning. 

It had been a long day, Dean pulled a back to back closing/opening shift. He wasn't exactly ready to turn in for the night when he got off, no matter how tired he was. 

"Hey, you coming out to Hoppy's tonight? Victor's birthday, man." Ash asked, he and Pam stood next to the break room table, Pam's messenger bag slung over her shoulder and Ash was standing a little too close to her. 

_Huh_. Apparently everyone is hooking up with everyone at work. 

"I convinced Kevin to come out." Pam smiled. 

"Yeah, you know I wouldn't miss Vic's birthday dinner." Dean went to clock out and stopped at the manager's office to say bye to Cas as Pam and Ash went towards the exit. 

"Hey, so a bunch of us are getting together at Hoppy's for Vic's birthday. You know, if you wanted to come by." Dean tried to sound casual and not at all disappointed in the denial he was sure he would get. 

"I don't have anything for him." Cas looked down at his hands like he would somehow manifest a birthday gift for Victor. 

Dean felt a flip in his stomach when Cas didn’t outright say no. "Just buy him a drink and don't mention the thing with Bela and he will be happy."

"Bela?" Cas looked adorably confused and Dean just laughed which caused Cas to smile wide at him. 

"Yeah. I think I may." Cas offered. 

They stared at one another until Ava stepped up to the office with a PDT and a question for Cas. 

"Cool. See you there." Dean smiled softly. Dean headed to the parking lot and tried not to make it obvious that he was thrilled about this development.

"Hey, I'll meet y'all there. I have to go home and change the retail off me." Dean made an excuse to go home. Ash nodded and tossed a peace sign and Pam gave him a thoughtful look before giving him a knowing smirk.

  
If Dean spent a little extra time getting ready before he headed out no one else needed to know. Even if they would all immediately know as soon as they saw Dean. Dean walked into Hoppy's and looked around as he headed back to their normal spot, Garth stoped him. 

"Hey, Dean! Lot's of folks showed up for Victor's party! We moved everyone to the party room. No charge, I mean y'all are always here and the room was empty anyway."

"Cool. Hey, can you grab me a double and my regular?" 

"Coming right up!" Garth wandered back behind the bar and Dean wandered to the party room. 

When Dean walked toward the party room in the back the noise alone was impressive. No wonder they offered to move them back there. No one noticed him when he first walked in so it gave him a chance to look around and see the impressive number of people there. 

Some folks that he never seemed to see at work, some that had moved on to better prospects and he hadn't seen in a while, and some of the regular faces. His gaze fell on a new face in the group. Cas. Dean watched him for a minute, Cas was listening to Victor tell Pam about something or another and he had an amused smirk on his face. 

As if he felt Dean's gaze he looked up and smiled like the sun breaking over the horizon when he met Dean's eyes, Dean couldn't stop the responding smile that spread over his face if he tried. Ambriel came and casually knocked shoulders with him before leaning over and quietly telling him that the only open spot was next to Cas. 

He felt his phone buzz. When he reached for it he laughed when He saw Charlie's text:

**Red:** _go get your man :eggplant: :eggplant:_

**Red:** _i don't want deets btw, cause ew._

He put his phone away and slowly made his way around the large table, greeting everyone and chatting a little before sitting down in the chair next to Cas on the far side of the room. 

"Hey ya, Cas." 

"Hello, Dean." 

Dean's stomach did a little flip of excitement at the greeting and Dean lost himself in Cas' eyes easily. Dean eyes flicked down to Cas' lips and he slowly licked his own, smirking when Cas’ eyes are drawn to the movement. Cas’ lips part as if he has something to say when Victor, across the room now, yelled.

"WINCHESTER! Garth got your shit man!" 

"Then send him my way, asshole." 

"That how you talk to your friend on his birthday?"

"Wait you think you're my friend?" Dean teased.

"I'm wounded, Winchester. That cuts me deep." Vic held his hand over his heart and stumbled back dramatically. Dean chuckled and rolled his eyes as Garth headed his way with his meal and drinks. 

"How much you had to drink already, Vic?" 

"Not enough man!" Ash hollered from the middle of the table where Pam is cozied up on his lap. 

"Next couple are on me." When the room applauds Dean laughs. "Only for the birthday boy!" Dean is met with a chorus of awww's before Garth finally sets his meal down with his shot and beer.

Dean finally settles in and finds that Cas' attention had been occupied by other people, but he looks like he’s having a good time so Dean takes his shot, then digs into his meal. Somehow the group manages to get onto the subject of Harry and Ed's birthday and how Ed had asked Pam to paddle his bare ass. 

Cas looked horrified at the idea of his employees engaging in something like that and turned to Dean, "Did that really happen?" 

Dean laughed, sipped his beer and sat back, spreading his legs a little so that his thigh was touching Cas' under the table. He smiled when Cas' leg pressed back more firmly against his. 

"Apparently Ed and, to a lesser extent, Harry are into some pretty kinky stuff. We even got a video of it. Ed bare assed in a room full of drunk people, balls hanging down and swinging, while Pam, dressed in this tight little leather thing, pulled out a _huge_ _thick_ wooden paddle and then proceeded to lay into him while everyone counted the number of hits." Dean shook his head, "His ass was so black and blue he couldn't sit down. Surprisingly he took it in stride along with three more shots. Everyone cheered and went about their debauchery." 

Dean laughed and knocked shoulders with Cas at the look of pure horror on his face at the story. 

"You should see the video." Dean winked.

"I'd rather not. Thank you." Cas sipped his water.

"Not into that kinky stuff?" Dean wagged his eyebrows at him.

"Not into _Ed_ that way." Cas smirked at Dean.

Dean's mouth went dry. 

"So..so.. you, you're.. huh." Dean watched Cas' face change from cocky smirk to something like triumph. Dean swallowed and Cas' eyes drifted to his throat, if felt like they were in a bubble of their own while the party went on around them and Cas moved a little closer to Dean. 

"You know, you look really," Cas' eyes trailed up and down Dean's body including the point where their legs were still touching, "_Really_ good tonight. Did you have plans after this?" 

Dean looked around and thought that he saw Ambriel smirk before texting, probably Charlie, but other than that, no one else was paying attention to them. 

"Umm.. no actually. I was just going home after this." Dean obviously didn’t want to confess that he hoped Cas would notice his appearance. Cas nodded and watched Dean carefully. 

"What about you, Cas?" 

"I have an idea what I'd like to do after this." There was a hunger in Cas' eyes that Dean craved to sate for him. 

"Oh yeah?" Cas nodded again before taking Dean's beer and taking a drink and not breaking eye contact. 

"Big plans?" Dean asked as Cas handed the glass back.

"You like big...plans, Dean?" Cas’ voice dropped even lower than his already gravel and whiskey roughness.

Holy fuck there was absolutely no way Dean could misinterpret the exchange happening between them and he was 100% on board with it. 

"Big plans can be fun. But really no matter the size of the plans, the real fun is had in the execution." Dean admitted.

"Couldn't agree more." 

Dean didn't know if it was the alcohol or if something had switched in Cas' head but he wasn't going to complain that Cas was showing interest. 

"Dean, I've not had a full beer in about two hours. I'm fine to drive. I've counted yours since you showed up and you've been nursing that one for some time." Cas pointed out as if he was leading to something. Dean nodded, he knew he was keeping his wits about him. 

"I'm going to leave. Then I’m going to text you my address. You should wait at least another half an hour so I know you will be able to drive safely, maybe have some water, then you decide what you want to do with my address. I won’t be upset no matter what you choose." Cas’ gaze was full of intense heat and Dean felt it to his very core. He had to bite his tongue to make sure that this was actually real life.

Dean blinked when felt Cas' large hand, long, strong fingers, reach for Dean's hand where it rested on his own thigh and squeeze a little, the tips of his hand setting his inner thigh on fire where they brushed against it, before he let it go and stood up. 

Dean watched as Cas made his way to Victor, Dean assumed to wish him a happy birthday again and said his goodbyes. A minute later Dean's phone buzzed in his pocket. When he checked it was from Cas. As promised his address was listed, right there in black and white for Dean to do with as he pleased.

Another text came in. 

**Cas:** _No pressure._

Dean couldn't believe that he was going to go home with Cas. Or go to Cas' home. Hopefully, with any luck, Dean would end up in Cas' bed. Dean went to the bathroom to splash water on his face before he headed to the bar for a glass of water. When Dean returned he slid up next to Bela. She wore a fond smile as she watched Victor, more or less, make an ass of himself, her smile turned into a smirk when Dean sat with her. He noted that she had water also. 

"What happened, Dean? Strike out with your boyfriend?" Dean chuckled at her. 

"I see your boyfriend is going to be a lot of fun tonight." She grinned over at him. 

"You've no idea." She winked. 

Dean laughed, it was the first time that either of them had come remotely close to admitting that they were 1.) fucking and 2.) more than fuck buddies. 

"You have a plan to make sure all these drunk assholes get home?" Dean asked her. 

"Of course. What do you take me for a newbie?" She rolled her eyes and Dean went to join the rest of the drunk assholes while he sobered up. It was a celebration for Victor after all. He should probably spend some time with him before he books it to Cas'. If he couldn’t keep the smile of anticipation off his face at least they would think it was from the party. 

* * *

The next few weeks were spent at work and warming Cas’ bed. Dean was careful to continue going out for beers with the crew, Cas didn't make another appearance at the brewery, which led to Victor boasting how it was his birthday that had Cas coming out from under his rock. Dean rolled his eyes every time then made out with Cas in the cash office at least twice a shift. 

It was one of those times, the store was closed, the only few employees working were busy and listening to loud Muzak blaring through the stores overhead speakers, when Dean found himself pressed against the cash office door and nearly desperate with need as Cas made his knees weak with his kisses and well placed touches that Cas surprised Dean yet again. 

Cas clicked the deadbolt to prevent anyone from coming in, even if they put the code in, then bit down on Dean's lip causing him to gasp. Cas fell to his knees and made quick work of Dean's slacks. Before he could comprehend that his strict, rule abiding boyfriend, had his slacks at his ankles and was on his knees for him _at work_, Cas had swallowed Dean's cock down deep.

"Cas!" Dean hissed quietly as his hands went to Cas' hair and gripped, not stopping him, no, Dean would be a fool to deny himself the magic that was Cas' mouth, he just needed to grasp onto _something_. 

Cas looked up at Dean through his lashes, lips suctioned around the head of Dean’s dick, and Dean groaned, the back of his head hit the heavy wooden door he was pressed against. Dean closed his eyes and lost himself in the feeling of Cas' mouth, tongue, and fuck, his throat as Cas took Dean's hands and pushed them against his head before reaching around and grasping Dean's bare ass and making him thrust his hips forward to fuck into his throat. 

Dean moaned and his breath caught as Cas' nails dug into Dean's ass pulling him deeper inside Cas. Until Cas stopped suddenly and Dean looked down, "Cas?" Then he heard it.

Ava was behind the front cash wrap singing, she was probably grabbing the go backs Dean had piled there. Dean bit back a moan as Cas continued to swallow around the head of Dean's dick. Dean listened intently, sounds of pleasure catching in his throat, as her singing faded away.

Dean growled softly at Cas, who pulled back and smirked at him, before gripping his hair and fucking into his mouth hard, fast, and dirty. Cas moaned around him as much as Dean's cock would allow. 

The adrenaline from nearly being caught coupled with the insane arousal had Dean on edge and shoving Cas' head down on his dick as deep as he could take it as he came down his throat. Dean crumbled to the floor next to Cas, both of them heaving breaths as Dean slapped his arm. 

"You fucking asshole." Dean gasped out. 

"You loved it." Cas' voice was raw from the abuse and he sounded and looked so fucked out and used that Dean grinned. 

"Yeah I did." He grabbed Cas and pulled him in for a deep kiss searching the taste of himself but couldn't find it. 

Damn Cas could deep throat better than anyone Dean had ever been with. 

Dean pulled back and let his head hit the door again. "Come here. Let me suck you off." 

"I can wait. We've been here long enough." 

Dean laughed again. "Such a fucking asshole." 

"I know. But you love it." Cas stood and reached down for Dean's hand. 

"I don't know if I can stand after that." He admitted. 

"At least let's get your pants up and you can sit at the desk." Cas gestured to the desk that could’ve been a mile away, even if it was only about a foot. 

"Ugh, I don't even want to think about the grossness of this carpet on my bare ass." Dean let Cas pull him up and put him back together. 

"We can take a shower when we get home." Dean raised his eyebrow at calling Cas' place home but said nothing against it. Cas set him on the chair and kissed him softly. "Finish your work. I'll go finish mine." 

Then Cas was gone. 

Dean laughed hysterically and shook his head before declaring to the empty room, "What. The. Fuck."

* * *

After that it was like a flood gate opened for Cas. 

Dean got to the point that just walking into the cash office after closing the store had him hard in his slacks. It was exhilarating and, Dean knew, stupid. If they continued to have all kinds of dirty sex in the cash office they would eventually get caught and both of them would be out of a job. 

It didn't stop Cas. 

Dean whimpered as Cas took both of their cocks in hand and stroked. "Cas. We have to stop this eventually." 

Cas responded by kissing Dean deeply. 

"Fuck." Dean's breath stuttered as he felt the tell tale slickness of lube. 

"You seriously started bringing lube, Cas?" Dean chuckled at the ridiculousness of it. 

"Of course." Cas tone made it sound like it was only the logical next step.

"We have to stop this. We are gonna end up caught." Dean repeated.

Cas learned forward and nipped Dean's ear, gripping them tighter in the hot, wet, tunnel of his hand, "I'll stop after I’ve had you laid out on that counter with your ass opening on my tongue, then bent over that desk while I'm balls deep inside you filling you up and making you come all over the top of it." Cas whispered in his ear. 

"Oh fuck, Cas. I'm gonna--fuck." Dean opened his mouth in a silent scream as hot wetness flowed over Cas' hand. Cas kept pumping them together and just before Dean whimpered and pushed Cas away Cas finally came. 

Cas' head was pressed against Dean's chest as they caught their breath. Dean's fingers ran through his sweaty hair and tried to breathe deeply to calm his beating heart and heaving lungs. 

"Fuck, I made a mess." Cas' voice was muffled. Dean reached over to the desk and grabbed a box of tissues and held it out. 

"I don't think that tissues alone with fix this." Cas’ voice made Dean think that he was squinting down at their dicks. He nearly laughed because he could picture the look perfectly. Dean watched Cas wipe their dicks and his hand before his eyes fell on Cas' black slacks and Dean burst out laughing. 

Cas scowled at him. "It's not funny, Dean. I still have to walk to the back of the store like this." 

Dean laughed harder.

"Fuck you." Cas smiled and pulled Dean into a kiss. 

When they pulled away Dean couldn't help but point out, "You did this to yourself. I told you we need to stop doing this in here." 

"Have you seen yourself Dean? I am finally able to get my hands on you and I want to do so every chance I get." Cas confessed with an intensity that stole Dean’s breath. 

"And it has nothing to do with you being a kinky fucker and being excited that we could get caught?" Another glare had Dean laughing again. 

"You're adorable when you try to smite me with your looks." Dean couldn’t keep the smile from his face. 

Cas took a deep breath and kissed Dean one more time. "Hurry up in here. I want to get home so I can punish you for being such an asshole after I made you come." 

Dean smiled and bit the tip of his tongue before winking, "Anything you say sweetheart." 

Dean watched Cas grab the V-cart of go backs and carefully maneuver it in front of him as he went toward the back of the store.

* * *

That next week Dean was whistling in the cash office getting the afternoon crew's cash drawers squared away when the door opened. He mentally kicked himself when he felt his cock stir in his pants and looked over half expecting Cas to be standing there. 

When Dean looked over his shoulder Ash was the one standing there with a smirk on his face. 

"What's up buddy?" Dean continued to count out the drawers and pack up the money that would go into the deposit that night. 

"How long?" 

"How long what?" 

"Don't play stupid Dean. Pam told me." 

"Pam told you want?" Dean played stupid. 

He knew Pam had a weird way of knowing things. It creeped him out when he first started working with her at Florin and swore her to secrecy when she told him that she knew about him and Benny, the manager of the shoe store a few doors down, and what they had done on their lunch break in the back of that shoe store. 

"You and Cas, man! The heart eyes are real! And _intense_." Ash hopped up on the counter next to where Dean was working. 

The very counter that Cas had spread him out on when he kept his promise of opening him up there with his tongue. 

Dean smirked. "You want details?" 

"Oh hell yeah, man." Ash nodded. Dean grinned. 

"Promise not to tell anyone." Dean lowered his voice.

"On my life." Ash leaned in a little closer. 

“IN THE CASH OFFICE, DEAN?”

Dean's laughter could be heard echoing through the store when Ash slammed open the cash office door and stormed out.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was my first in the Profound Bound Discord server story time channel.  
So much of my retail life (and that of those I worked with) went into this. Even down to little details like Pam walking around the store after closing with no shoes on. One of my co-workers did that every time they closed. Without fail.  
Hoppy’s was the brewery we would all gather at frequently and drink and have dinner. The thing about the civil war figures? Totally real. The manager that I thought hated me had those in his mom’s basement.  
Mildred? One of the older ladies I worked with when I was hired on. She bought every single monthly romance novel that we got in.  
The sex in the cash office? Happened. Wasn’t me. It was my cash office, as the head cashier, but my manager and my co-worker ended up doing the do and she told me about it and I was like “In my cash office??”  
Ed’s birthday spankings? That was me holding the paddle.  
If there are seemingly random details that don’t lead the story anywhere, it is most likely cause they are things that were pulled directly from my life in retail and if you have any questions about them, feel free to come ask me!
> 
> Thanks to everyone in the [Profound Bond Discord](http://discord.profoundbond.net/) server that encouraged me to write this and cheered me along in less than 24 hours it took to live write it. If you’re a Destiel fan and like hanging with some awesome people come join us. 
> 
> If you enjoyed and want to come yell at me about it you can find me on PillowFort as [FormidablePassion](https://www.pillowfort.io/FormidablePassion)  
I promise I’m nice.


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